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Oct. 28. 1924. 1,513,208

F. E. ARNDT ADJUSTABLE STONE DISTRIBUTOR Filed Nov. 20 1922 Sheets-Sheet 1 War-1X21]? Ar'ndt Oct. 28 1924. 1,513,208

, F. E. ARNDT ADJUSTABLE STONE DISTRIBUTOR Filed Nov. 20, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 3 x ii MIRA FanKZz'n E. Ar'ndt N aggyvuentoz Patented Oct. 28, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANKLIN E. ARNDI, OF GALION, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE GALIO'N IRON WORKS AND MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF GALION, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

ADJUSTABLE STONE DISTRIBUTOR.

Application filed November 20, 1922. Serial No. 602,121.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, FRANKLIN E. Annn'r, a citizen of the United States, residing Galion, in the county of Crawford and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Adjustable Stone Distributors, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to machines for distributing or leveling road metal, such as broken stone, gravel, or the like, and partic ularly to improvements upon those machines of this character which are adapted to be attached to and drawn behind a truck and to receive the broken stone or other material from the truck and discharge it onto the road, and in which machines provision is made for regulating the thickness of the layer of stone laid down by the distributor.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a machine of this character which does not require in order to regulate the layer of stone that the hopper from which the stone is discharged shall be vertically movable, which construction is objectionable because of the weight of the hopper and the consequent strain upon those parts by which the hopper is raised and lowered and the consequent difiiculty of raising or lowering the hopper.

A further object is to provide a machine of this character which does not require in order to regulate the thickness of stone that a controlling gate shall be mounted upon the hopper for raising or lowering movement, such a construction being open to many objections, the principal objection being that a gate so mounted is difficult to move and is liable to become corroded or rusted in place.

A still further object of the present inven tion is to provide a construction of this character in which the hopper is formed of two sections, one a fixed section mounted upon runners or other suitable ground engaging supports, the rear section being relatively movable vertically whereby to adjust the thickness of the layer laid down and being provided with a strike-off blade, the strike-off blade being itself independently adjustable at either end so as to suit the crown of the road.

Another object is to provide very simple means whereby the rear section of the hopper may be raised or lowered and supported against the weight of the stone.

Still another object is to provide means whereby to reduce the friction of a heavy course of material, thus making it easier for the strikeofii' blade to level the material.

A further object is to provide means for preventing the broken stone or other material from flooding out between the runners and thus spreading where it is not needed.

Other objects have to do with the details of construction and arrangement of parts as will more fully appear hereinafter.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a side elevation of a stone distributor constructed in accordance with my invention, showing the distributor in use;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary rear elevation of the distributor shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary top plan view of the left hand end of the distributor;

Figure t is a fragmentary sectional perspective view of the inside of the hopper, showing how the ends of the forward and rear sections of the hopper overlap;

Referring to these drawings, it will be seen that my construction embodies an open topped hopper or receptacle whose structure will be later described, and which is mounted and carried by ground-engaging runners or equivalent elements. These runners 10 are preferably of T-iron, though they might be made of channel iron or other suitable material, and the runners are connected by cross bars 11 whose ends are turned down at 12 and riveted to the runners.

Mounted upon these cross bars 11 are the forward and rear brackets 13 and 14 respectively, and supported by these brackets is the forward section, designated generally 15, of the hopper. This forward section is formed by a side plate 16 and two end plates 17, these end and side plates being connected to each other in any suitable manner and being suitably braced and reinforced. The plate 16 is riveted or otherwise engaged with angle irons 18, which in turn are riveted to or otherwise engaged with the upper ends of the brackets 13 and 14. The rear section of the hopper, which is designated generally 19, is formed of a side plate 20 and end plates 21. These end plates are connected to the side plate 20 in any suitable manner. This hopper section is braced in any desired and suitable way. The forward ends, of the end plates 21 are disly projecting ribs 26 which bear against the rear edges of the end plates 17. The sectors are riveted to the end plates at 27. Thus the sectors and the end plates 17 are held 'in rigid relation to each other and these sectors are sufficiently heavy and rigid and connected to the side plates firmly and rigidly so that these sectors will sustain a very heavy weight.

Riveted to the ends of the back plate 20 are U-shapcd yokes 28 which form bearings for vertical shafts 29 carrying screw-threaded sleeves 30 fast to rotate with the shafts and disposed between the arms of the yoke 28. Each sleeve '30 constitutes a worm which engages with the arcuate rack teeth 25 on the extremity of the sector. The upper end of the shaft 29 is supported in a bearing 31 attached to an angle iron 32 forming part of the frame of the hopper, and each shaft carries a handle 33 whereby the shaft may be rotated. It will be obvious that each shaft 29 with the sleeve 30 constitutes a worm shaft and that by rotating these shafts the rear section of the hopper may be caused to move upward or downward with relation to the forward section.

It willbe seen that with this construction the weight of this rear section of the hopper is supported by the worm and by the sector gear 24 and that both the worms and sector gears may be made very heavy and substantial so as to sustain any desired weight. It will he noted, however that in asmuch as the bottom of the hopper is to a large extent open there will be very little actual weight on the rear section of the hopper except the inherent weight of the parts themselves.

' Preferably the rear wall 20 of the hopper section 19 carries upon it a strike-off blade 34. To this end. the lower margin of the rear wall 20 carries upon it outwardly proje'cting bolts 35 surrounded by sleeves 36, and these bolts pass through the strike-off blade 34, this blade being provided with a plurality of perforations 37 through which the bolts 35 may pass. Mounted upon the bolts are the wing nuts 38 whereby the strike-off blade may be held in any adjusted position. The strike-off blade 35 has its lower edge disposed below the lower edge of the plate 20 and this strike-off blade 35. it

will be seen, levels the upper face of the layer of stone laid. down on the road. This strike-off blade obviously may be turned over when the lower edge of the strike-off blade becomes worn, chipped or otherwise un fit for service and thus the strike-0H blade will last indefinitely. Fiu'thermore, it is obvious that a new strike-off blade may be put in place when the old strike-off blade becomes broken and this at relatively small cost. By providing the strike-off blade, wear is taken off the lower edge of the rear wall 20 and thus there will be no necessity of scrapping the machine as a whole or the hopper, as there would be if this lower edge of the rear wall was liable to become broken. It will be seen that the sleeve 36 has porticns bearing against the bracing angle iron which forms part of the frame of the hopper so that the strain on the strike-off.

blade is resisted by this flange 39.

In order to reduce the friction of heavy material and make it easier for the strike off blade to level the layer of material laid down, I provide a deflector plate 40 which extends downward and forward from. the rear wall 20 and terminates about on a level with the side walls or plates 17 of the forward section of the hopper. This material being; discharged from the sectional hopper will be caused to move downward and forw rd and away from. the strike-off blade 34. It will he noted that the forward wall 16 of the forward section of the hopper extends downward and rearward, while the deflector 40 extends downward and forward. Thus the i'naterial is not forced directly downward through the bottom of the hopper by the weight of the superposed material and there is not the same downward pressure exerted on the material as would be the case were the walls of the hopper relatively vertical. or if thercwas no deflector plate 4-0. liere there is no deflector plate 40 and the bottom of the hopper is open, the weight of the material within the hopper tends to force it down and pack it so that the rear wall. of the hopper, if this is used for striking off the material. or the strike-off blade cannot operate properly and it is difficult to level. off the upper surface of the course of laid material.

For the purpose of preventing the material from flooding out between the runners and thus spreading where it is not needed, I provide a steel plate or shield, designated 41, which is attached to the rear faces of the brackets 14. and extends downward to the runners 10 and extend rearward upon the upper edges of the runners. This shield preferably has a width equal to the distance between the runners and obviously none of the material discharged from the hopper can be discharged in front of this shield and flood out between the runners.

The operation of this mechanism Will be obvious from What has gone before. The runners 10 are connected by draft chains- 42 to hooks 43 or other like devices mounted upon the chassis of an auto truck so that the hopper is disposed immediately beneath the rear end of the truck body 44. As the truck is drawn along, the material in the truck body is discharged into the hopper and from the hopper the material is discharged through the open bottom thereof onto the ground and struck or leveled off by means of the strike-off blade 34. This strike-off blade may be raised or lowered by raising or lowering the rear section of the hopper through the instrumentality of the worm shafts 29. Inasmuch as there is practically very little weight upon this rear section of the hopper, it is obvious that it may be adjusted with. relative ease and that it may be adjusted while the machine is moving, which is par ticularly necessary where there are irregularities in the road bed which it is desired to level off. Obviously one end of the tilting section of the hopper may be lifted slightly higher than the other se tion of the hopper, and obviously the strike-off blade 34 can have its opposite ends raised or lowered with relation to each other so as to suit the crown of the road.

While I have illustrated a particular construction which I have found to be of very effective character, I do not wish to be limited to the details thereof, as it is obvious that these details might be varied in many ways Without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim 1. A distributor for road material comprising a hopper open at its bottom and having a forward section and a rear section, ground-engaging members supporting the forward section of the hopper, the rear section of the hopper, being pivotally connected to the forward section, and means for raising or lowering the rear section of the hopper.

2. A distributor for road material comprising a hopper open at the bottom thereof and composed of a forward section and a rear section, road-engaging supports upon which the forward section of the hopper is mounted, the rear section having end walls pivoted to the end walls of the forward section, and means at each end of the rear section whereby the rear section may be raised or lowered.

3. A distributor for road material comprising a hopper open at the bottom thereof and composed of a forward section and a rear section, road-engaging supports upon which the forward section of the hopper is mounted, the rear section having end walls pivoted to the end Walls of the forward section, a toothed member mounted rigidly upon and projecting rearward from the end walls of the forward section of the hopper, and reacting intermeshing members me ted upon the rear section of the hopper and engaged with said toothed member whereby the r ar section of the hopper may be raised or lowered.

A distributor for road material comprising a hopper having an open bottom and composed of a forward se' tion and a rear section, the forward section having end walls, the rear section having end walls pivoted to the end walls of the forward section for vertical movement, road-engaging supports operatively supporting the forward section of the hopper, sector gears mounted rigidly upon the end walls of the forward section of the hopper, and members mounted upon the end walls of the rear section of the hopper intermeshing with said sector gears whereby to cause the elevation or depression of the rear section of the hopper.

5. A distributor for road material com-' prising a hopper formed of a forward sec-- tion and a rear section, the forward section having a front wall and end walls and the rear section having an end wall and rear walls, the end walls of the rear section being pivoted to the end walls of the forward section, road-engaging supports for the forward section of the hopper, sector gear rigid. with and projecting rearwardly from the end walls of the front section of the hopper, and worm shafts mounted upon the rear section of the hopper and movable therewith and having worms engaging said sector gears to thereby raise or lower the rear section of the hopper.

6. A distributor for road material com prising a hopper foru'ied of a forward section and a rear section, the forward section having a front wall and end walls and the rear section having an end wall and rear walls, the end walls of the rear section be ing pivoted to the end walls of the forv-rard section, road-engaging supports for the forward section of the hopper, a. sector gear rigid with and projecting rearwardly from the end walls of the forward section of th hopper, vertically extending worm shafts mounted upon the end walls of the rear section of the hopper adjacent the rear wall thereof and each having a worm meshing with the corresponding sector gear, and means on the upper ends of the worm shafts whereby they may be rotated to raise or ower the rear section of the hopper.

7. A distributor for road material eomprising a hopper formed of a forward section and a rear section, the rear section being pivoted to the forward section for ver tical movement, means whereby the rear section may be vertically adjusted relative to the forward section, road-engaging sup ports connected to the forward section of the hopper and supporting the same, and a strike-off blade mounted upon the rear section of the hopper and extending below the lower edge thereof.

8. A distributor for road material comprising a hopper formed of a forward section and a rear section, the rear section being pivoted to the forward section for vertical movement, means whereby the rear section. may be vertically adjusted relative to the forward section, road-engaging supports connected to the forward section of the hopper and supporting the same, an a strike-off blade mounted upon the rear section of the hopper and extending below the lower edge thereof, the strike-oil blade being mounted for independent vertical adjustment at its ends. 7

9. A distributor for road material comprising a hopper having an open bottom and having a forward section and a rear section, the rear section being pivoted to the forward section for vertical movement, road-engaging supports connected to the forward section of the hopper and supporting the same, means mounted upon the rear section of the hopper and operatively engaging the forward section whereby the rear section may be raised or lowered, and a strike-off blade mounted upon the rear section of the hopper and extending below the lower edge of the same.

10. A distributor for road material comprising a hopper having side and end walls and being open at the bottom thereof, a deflector plate attached to the rear wall of the hopper below the top thereof and extending downward and forward therefrom, and a strike-off blade mounted upon the rear wall of the hopper below the deflector plate and rearward thereof, the strike-off blade extending below the lower edge of the hopper.

11. A. distributor for road material comprising a hopper open at the bottom and consisting of a forward section and a rear section, the rear section being pivoted to the forward sec tion for vertical movement, means for vertically adjusting th rear section of the hopper relative to the forward section, roadengaging supports for the forward section of the hopper, a deflector plate mounted upon the rear section of the hopper and extending downward and forward within the hopper, and a strike-off blade mounted upon the rear section of the hopper forward of and on a level below the lower end of the deflector.

12. A distributor for road material comprising a hopper formed in two sections, the forward section of the hopper having a front wall and end walls, the rear secrigidly mounted upon the end walls of the front section of the hopper and extending rearward therefrom, rotatable gearing members mounted upon the end walls of the rear section of the hopper and meshing with the teeth of said sector gears whereby the rear section may be raised or lowered, and

a strike-off blade mounted upon the rear wall of the hopper rearward thereof and extending below the lower edge of the rear wall.

13. A distributor for road. material comprising a hopper open at its bottom and having a rear wall, an angle iron mounted upon the lower margin of the rear wall and having a rearwardly projecting flange, bolts extending through the vertical flange of the angle iron and extending rearward therefrom, a sleeve on each bolt having a bearing against the horizontal flange of the angle iron, a strike-off blade; engaged by said bolts and resting against the end of the sleeve, the strike-oil blade projecting below the lower edge of said rear walls, and nuts holding the strike-off blade in place.

14. A distributor for road material comprising a hopper consisting of a forward section and a rear section, the forward section having a downwardly and rearwardly inclined front wall and end walls, each end wall having a vertical edge at its rear end. the rear section having a rear wall and end Walls extending inward against the inside faces of the first named end walls and pivoted thereto for tilting movement, sectors mounted rigidly upon the end walls of the front. section and having an interior vertical flange bearing against the rear edge of said end walls, the sector gear extending rearward therefrom and being toothed upon its arcuate edge face, wormshafts mounted upon the end walls of the rear section and having worms engaging said toothed edges of the sectors, and a strike-off blade mounted upon the rear wall of the rear section and attending below the same.

15. A distributor for road material. comprising a hopper open at its bottom and having a downward and rearwardly extending front wall, road-engaging supports dis posed below the front wall and having 1t A distributor for road material comprising a hopper formed to provide a for ward section and a rear section, the forward section having a downwardly and rearwardly extending front wall and end walls, the rear section having a rear wall and end walls pivoted to the end walls of the front section, the hopper being open at its bottom, means whereby the rear section may be tilted relative to the forward section, a deflector plate carried upon the rear wall of the hopper and extending down ward and forward, road-engaging supports for the hopper having brackets extending upward and engaged with the forward section of the hopper and including rear brackets disposed vertically beneath the lower edge of the front wall of the forward section, a vertical shield attached to said rear brackets, and a strike-off blade operatively supported upon the rear section and disposed rearward of the rear wall thereof and extending slightly below the same.

17 A distributor for road material com prising a hopper open at its bottom, a strikeofi blade mounted upon the rear wall of the hopper and extending slightly below the same, and means disposed within the hopper and extending from its rear wall whereby to prevent material being discharged from said hopper from coming in immediate contact with said blade.

18. A distributor for road material comprising a hopper open at its bottom and having aforward section and a rear section, ground-engaging members supporting the forward section of the hopper at aheight equal to the maximum thickness of the road material to be distributed, the rear section of the hopper being adjustabiy connected to the forward section for vertical movement, and means whereby the rear section of the hopper may be held in vertically adjusted positions.

19. A distributor for road material comprising a. hopper open at its bottom and hav ing a forward section and a rear section, ground-engaging members supporting the forward section of the hopper at a height equal to the maximum depth of the material to be distributed, the rear section of the hopper being pivotally connected to the forward section, and means whereby the rear section of the hopper may be held in a plurality of vertically adjusted positions.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

FRANKLIN E. ARNDT. 

